How to Stop Google Chrome from Opening Windows Store

Google Chrome is probably the best web browser. Actually, it works awesome when it comes to browsing internet on a slow internet speed. Chrome works quite faster than other browsers even when you have a slow internet connection as it works on cache. That means, if you have slow internet connection and it is getting any problem to load a webpage, it opens the page from cache memory. Therefore, you will be able to refresh the page for fresh content. However, that is a different topic.

Now, let’s check out the following scenario. Suppose, you use Windows 8 or later version, which comes with Windows Store that is an in-built store of apps and games. Now, whenever, you will try to open the store in Google Chrome, you will end up opening the Windows Store. This is an in-built feature of Google Chrome. It basically helps users to install a particular app from Windows Store faster. You do not have to open your Store manually. Whenever, you will land on a https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/store/apps page, you will actually be able to open the in-built Windows Store app with specific installation page.

That is obviously very good when it comes to install several apps and you want to use Google search to find them quickly. However, the problem commences when you want to just check some information about a particular app or few apps. Suppose, you want to find the changelog of a couple of apps. Therefore, instead of opening the Windows Store, this is far better to head over to the web version on Google Chrome or any other browser that shows all the information about an app. If Google Chrome is your most preferred browser and want to stop Google Chrome from opening Windows Store, here is a solution. You can easily block your browser from opening Windows Store when you land on a Microsoft.com page to check any information about an app.

Stop Google Chrome from Opening Windows Store

This is very easy and you do not have to install any third app to prevent Google Chrome from opening Windows Store automatically. You just need to make a change in Google Chrome settings file.

Prerequisite: You must have to close Google Chrome before making any change. You may not have to close it from Task Manager but you do have to click on the red cross button to close this browser.

Now, if you have closed your browser, you have to show hidden files in your Windows. For that, just expand the ribbon in File Explorer, go to View tab and make a tick in the checkbox that says Hidden items.

Following that, navigate through the following path,

C:\Users\user_name\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data

Here, C is your system drive and don’t forget to replace user_name with your actual username. If you have landed on the aforementioned page, do find out Local State. Now, you have to open it in Notepad or any other text editor. After opening, try to find out this:

"ms-windows-store":false

As mentioned, by default, it should be set to false. Just replace false with true and save it.

Now, try to open any app from Windows Store using Google Chrome. Your browser should not redirect anymore.